The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-08
TIE WRECK AT WHITE RIVER
Engineer Pierce Tells What He Knows
Concerning the Sickening Tragedy.
ghe Train Was Running but Fight Miles an
Hour When 1t Struck the Bridge-The Civil
Authorities Take Charge of the Dead.

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT Feb. THE
official investigation into the circumstances
connected with the railroad disaster of Satur-
day began here this afternoon, under the
direction of the Board of Railroad Commission
ers of Vermont, consisting of ex Gov S. E. Pin
gree, of Hartford, chairman; Hon. w. L. Clark,
of Rutland, and Hon. T. G. Fletcher, of st.
Johnsbury. The first witness was Charles II.
Pierce. He was engineer of the unfortunate
train. The witness said: II ran the engine while
shifting the cars, and the train was made up, as
is customary, with the combination bag
gage and express car next to the
engine, then the combination mail
and smoker, with the first passeng ger
car, all of which came from Boston over the
Boston q Lowell road; then followed the pas
seneer and sleeping cars from Springfield, the
sleeper being the st. Albans. Attached to the
rear of the train was the Pullman sleeper Pill
grim, making six cars in all. We should have
left by time table at 1240 A. NJ, but were an
hour and half late, leaving at 2:10 P. NJ. We
ran at regular schedule rate, making up no time
before the bridge was reached; then slowed-up
--ns usual, and little more go, as
the air-brake seemed to take hold
better; applied the air-brakes about
three times the length of the train back from
the bridge, which was the usual place; never
went over the bridge without slowing up; should
judge the speed of the train to have been about
eight miles per hour: noticed nothing unusual
no jar or jerking of any kind before reaching
the bridge, or, in fact, at any time until my en-
gine came to a standstill; was sitting on my
seat looking ahead when the first unusual thing
occurred. which was. the sound of the
alarm-b bell from the cars; we were
then about the middle of the bridges;
it struck but once; my hand was within a foot of
the lever which applies the air brakes. The
brakes were let off before reaching the bridge;
never worked steam across the bridge l applied
my brakes instantly, but did not reverse my en-
gine at all; after applying the brakes l looked
ont Of my window then being about two-thrds
of the way across the bridge, and saw the rear
Pullman Of the train falling from the rear end
of the bridge. In falling it drew the three next
cars with II. when the couplings evidently broke e
between the smoker and the first passenger ca r.
leaving these on the track, and my engine came
to stand still little beyond the further end of
the bridge. My reason Tor not reversing my en-
gine at once was that my first thought
was that a passenger for the Passump-
sic railroad had been perhaps carried beyond
White River junction and wished to be let off.
The failure to do this made, in my estimation,
no difference with the result, as the cars had
fallen before it possible for me to do so. and
consider that reversing in this instance would
have been dangerous We hardly ever reverse
Sue englne unleSS we KNOW OF danger
ahead. There is nothing unusual ir
the bell alarm. slid down the steep embank
nent, rapidly passing under the bridge and i'm
mediately reached the first passenger car which
was about in the middle Of the river. It had not
broken through the ice and there was no water
ia it, but it had evidedtly struck OF
the corner and squashed down to abou
half its height, and 'ay upon its side, with tn,
bottom toward the bridge. There were left witt
me Of the railroad employees who had not gon,
down with the wreck, my fireman, Frank
Thrasher, Mr. Cole, the baggagemaster, the ex
press messenger, and two mail agents who's
names do not know. The bageagemaster an,
my fireman went down with me to the wreck
When we reached it the fire had started from
the stove in the rear of the first passenger car
and did not look further than that We a
once did what we could to put out the FIRE. / a
once saw it was useless to try it, as the fire ha
already made such Roadway, and at once be
gan to help people OUT